OKDHS.org - OAC 340:75-10-9. Admissions and Discharges

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340:75-10-9. Admissions and discharges

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Revised 6-1-08

(a) Admission criteria. Children younger than 18 years of age, who are alleged abused or neglected, may be admitted to one of the two Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) operated shelters, Pauline E. Mayer or Laura Dester, or a non-OKDHS operated shelter.

(1) A child may be admitted to an OKDHS shelter by a:
- (A) law enforcement officer who has assumed protective custody;
- (B) law enforcement officer with an emergency custody order from the court; or
- (C) Child Welfare (CW) worker.
(2) Except in the case of law enforcement admission, only the child's CW worker admits the child to the shelter.
(3) If the child has not been seen by a licensed health professional and displays a significant medical problem or injury or appears under the influence of drugs or alcohol, the shelter staff requests the admitting law enforcement officer take the child for a medical examination prior to admission.

(b) OKDHS operated shelter capacity. The specified licensed capacity is 58 children at the Pauline E. Mayer shelter and 50 children at the Laura Dester shelter. It is the intent that children move into safe, appropriate placements as soon as possible with the goal that the child:

(1) five years of age or younger remains in the shelter no more than five days. If the child does not return home during this time, the child is discharged to emergency foster care (EFC), per OAC 340:75-7-262 at the earliest opportunity; and
(2) six years of age or older remains in shelter care no more than 30 days. If an extended stay is required, the child's length of stay in the shelter does not exceed 60 days. Children in an OKDHS operated shelter are staffed weekly to determine the plan for the child. • 1

(c) Admission by Child Welfare. Requests by CW for admission to an OKDHS operated shelter are made to shelter administrative staff at the Laura Dester Shelter and to shelter Child Welfare specialists at the Pauline E. Mayer Shelter. The CW worker accompanies the child to the shelter and provides information essential to planning the child's care, including, but not limited to: • 2

(1) the child's identifying information, such as name, date of birth, and parent(s)' name and address;
(2) the child's medical information, such as current prescriptions, planned medical appointments, medical problems, and current medical provider;
(3) the reason for admission;
(4) discharge plans;
(5) any significant behaviors regarding the child, such as suicidal behavior;
(6) visitation plans; and
(7) the child's education history, such as the name of the last school and grade attended. The CW worker continues to provide updated information during the child's stay.

(d) Discharge process. The child is prepared for discharge, through counseling by the shelter Child Welfare specialist (CWS), personal contact by the CW worker, and preplacement visits, when possible. The shelter social worker ensures that the child's personal belongings and any medications accompany the child to the next placement. • 3 & 4

INSTRUCTIONS TO STAFF 340:75-10-9

Revised 6-1-08

1. Shelter staffings. The Child Welfare (CW) county staff and a shelter Child Welfare specialist (CWS) attend weekly staffings. The area director or designee ensures that all necessary actions by field staff are taken to expedite a placement.

2. Child's shelter file.

(1) Information from KIDS necessary to planning the child's care is printed by the shelter CWS and placed in the child's shelter file. The shelter CWS reviews any KIDS records of the child.

(2) Shelter direct care specialist (DCS) staff records the child's weight and height and documents any bodily injuries. Shelter staff ensures the child is fed, bathed, and provided clean clothing, as needed, and orients the child to the shelter.

3. Discharge notice.

(1) The CW worker notifies shelter staff in advance of the child's discharge and signs the discharge forms before removing the child from the shelter.

(2) Shelter CWS staff completes the discharge process when a child is placed into emergency foster care (EFC).

4. Diversion. OKDHS operated shelters deny further admission of children in OKDHS custody when operating at 90% capacity, in order to meet obligations under established court orders.

(1) When the resident population of the Pauline E. Mayer (PEM) shelter reaches 42 or more children, or the Laura Dester Shelter (LDS) reaches a resident population of 50 or more children, the shelter administrator or designee directs CWS staff to divert further admissions or current residents to other non-OKDHS operated shelters. This process continues until the PEM population is reduced to less than 42 or the LDS population is reduced to less than 50 children.

(2) When a child arrives at the shelter for admission and diversion is necessary, the child is admitted and the intake process is completed.

(3) Shelter CWS staff contacts participating youth services shelters to arrange placement of the child requiring diversion. All intake information is sent with the child to the youth services shelter.

(4) The child diverted to a youth services shelter is not returned to the Pauline E. Mayer or Laura Dester shelter. EFC services are sought for the eligible child who is diverted.

(5) The admitting shelter CWS documents in KIDS the arrival, departure, and diverted placement of the child.

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